Slowly but surely the myths surrounding diesel engines have been debunked by US consumers, leading to the creation of a stable yet somewhat small market. In the pickup segment, diesels have picked up steam and RAM, Nissan, Chevrolet and Toyota have or are planning haulers that burn oil. Meanwhile, the auto market continues the adoption of mainly 2-liter or 3-liter turbo diesels.
Audi and Volkswagen seem to be the most vocal champions of the clean diesel engine, somewhat helped by the advanced technology they developed for the European market, but also by their premium prices. Sales of TDI engines have grown steadily in 2012 through 2013 and have reached an all time record. With a few weeks to spare, the two German companies have registered 100,000 TDI-equipped car sales in 2013.
“Selling more than100,000 TDI Clean Diesel vehicles is a significant milestone for Volkswagen Group of America,” said Mark McNabb, chief operating officer, Volkswagen of America. “We’re excited to see the increasing numbers of customers able to enjoy the reliability, durability, fuel-efficiency and power of the clean diesel engine.”
This is the first time such a milestone has been reached, and the official press statement claims that over 75 percent of the diesel engines sold in the passenger car and SUV segments in the United States can be found under the hoods of Volkswagen and Audi models. Currently, 12 different TDI models are sold Stateside.
Audi's TDI lineup grew significantly with the introduction of new Audi Q5 TDI, A6 TDI, A7 TDI and A8 TDI models. The rest are Volkswagens, most equipped with the same 2-liter 140 hp unit: Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat and Touareg.
“The past year has shown that American consumers clearly recognize the benefits of clean diesel TDI vehicles,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. “They understand now more than ever that this is a technology delivering real answers to society’s concerns about fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions without compromises.”
“Selling more than100,000 TDI Clean Diesel vehicles is a significant milestone for Volkswagen Group of America,” said Mark McNabb, chief operating officer, Volkswagen of America. “We’re excited to see the increasing numbers of customers able to enjoy the reliability, durability, fuel-efficiency and power of the clean diesel engine.”
This is the first time such a milestone has been reached, and the official press statement claims that over 75 percent of the diesel engines sold in the passenger car and SUV segments in the United States can be found under the hoods of Volkswagen and Audi models. Currently, 12 different TDI models are sold Stateside.
Audi's TDI lineup grew significantly with the introduction of new Audi Q5 TDI, A6 TDI, A7 TDI and A8 TDI models. The rest are Volkswagens, most equipped with the same 2-liter 140 hp unit: Beetle, Beetle Convertible, Golf, Jetta, Jetta SportWagen, Passat and Touareg.
“The past year has shown that American consumers clearly recognize the benefits of clean diesel TDI vehicles,” said Scott Keogh, President, Audi of America. “They understand now more than ever that this is a technology delivering real answers to society’s concerns about fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions without compromises.”